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Website, logo unveiled for Edson centennial
By Victoria Carnaghan,The Edson Leader 
The countdown has begun for Edson’s centennial year. Edson’s 100th Anniversary Committee released last week a list of events that will take place throughout 2011, the year the Town of Edson celebrates a century since incorporating.
During a press conference o n Jan. 2 , committee members described the special events that will take place once a month - sometimes more - throughout 2011, culminating in a special homecoming weekend in late September.
The committee also unveiled its new logo and website, which is now online at www.Edson100.com. The theme of the event is “Our legacy. Our future.”
Available on the website is a clock that is counting down to Jan. 1, 2011, the start of Edson’s centennial year.
However, the festivities won’t wait for that deadline and will actually begin in December 2010. e annual Edson and District Chamber of Commerce Santa Claus parade will mark the oficial opening of the celebrations. The parade route will be reversed from its traditional path, and will head from the bottom of Main Street up to the Leisure Centre where it will terminate in the middle of a winter carnival. A company has be hired to create a maze and ice sculptures —including a castle — for everyone to admire, and kids games and activities will be planned.
Other event highlights will include a play from local arts group Chautauqua in January, 2011 that will detail Edson’s history. Community choir Vocal Variations will also give a special performance that month.
There will also be plenty of special sports tournaments, including a Fireman’s Curling Tournament which will see hundreds of fire- fighting curlers converge on Edson ( February) ; a community-wide pond hockey tournament for local enthusiasts of all ages (March); as well as a regional soccer tournament organized by the Edson Soccer Association (May). Old favourites like Elks Snow Golf (February), the annual Family Day celebration (February), the Medicine Lodge Rodeo (May), Seniors Week ( June), the Edson Rodeo (July), the Kinsmen International Slo-Pitch Tournament (August) and the Chamber of Commerce Sidewalk Jamboree (August) will have special centennial themes.
Other special events will include the Edson Fire Department’s Firefighter Combat Challenge in June, 2011. The department is also celebrating its 100th birthday that year. Also, there will be a community-wide inter-faith Easter service in April, the Edson Legion will host the provincial Legion Convention, and the Chamber of Commerce Trade Show will have a special historic industrial exhibition.
On May 7, Edsonites will be invited to an evening performance from the internationally acclaimed Shumka Dancers of Edmonton. Th e performance will take place at the Edson Rec Centre curling rink, which will be transformed with a high-quality stage and professional lighting and sound, said media chair Dale Schnirer. He said there will be about 1,000 tickets sold and the price will be kept affordable to ensure as many people as possible can partake. The Shumka Dancers will also do two Ukrainian dance workshops in local schools.
The crowning event of the year will be a homecoming weekend. A dinner and gala dance will take place at the Rec Centre on Sept. 23, with Mal Goldie acting as master of ceremonies. The night previous, birthday, newborn and other awards will be handed out at a wine and cheese reception, also at the Rec Centre.
On Sept. 24 the months of celebration will wrap up with a performance from the Edmonton Symphony Or estra. The evening performance at the Rec Centre will launch the orchestra’s fi rst-ever Alberta tour and also coincides with the organization’s 60th anniversary.
The orchestra performance, homecoming dance and Shumka dancers are the only ticketed events during the year, the remainder of events will be free.
Events will be added to the website as they become finalized. Look for updates a t www.edson100.com . To add an event, call Dale Schnirer at (780) 723-2927. For information call events committee chairman Les Halliwell at (780) 723-3713.
